Russian restaurant and brewery group Tinkoff has announced that
together with leading German brewer Krones it is to build a $75
million brewery near St. Petersburg.
Lipton's lead position within the fast-growing ready-to-drink
global tea market is to get stronger after Unilever and PepsiCo
announced a joint venture to expand marketing and distribution of
the RTD range.
CCHBC, one of the world's largest Coca-Cola bottlers, is now about
to become a leading supplier of savoury snacks, at least in its
home market of Greece.
Ireland's Kerry group has continued its rapid expansion programme
which has already seen it add 20 new companies to its portfolio in
the last two years.
Acatris, the health ingredients company of the Royal Schouten
Group, has sold the assets and the business of its brewery division
to English firm Lupofresh.
Cadbury Schweppes has recommended that both Coca-Cola and Pepsi
bottlers make Dr Pepper a priority brand again, following the
industry's failure to capitalise on the growing trend to new soft
drinks.
The European Commission has given clearance under merger
regulations to the proposed acquisition of French aluminium
producer Pechiney by Alcan of Canada.
Olvi, the Finnish drinks group, has taken control of Estonian
company Finelin in a deal valued at €10.3 million. Olvi's Estonian
subsidiary, A.Le Coq, will now own 100 per cent of Finelin.
Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages group has announced several
management changes that move three of its beverage business units
closer to a consolidated functional structure in North America.
Consolidation for consolidation's sake is not the best way to
create value for shareholders or build for the future, according to
Canadian brewer Molson.
Dutch food and drink giant Wessanen is to close one of its beverage
production plants in the US. Production activities at the Casa
Grande plant will be integrated into other ABC facilities.
Strong brands such as Campari, SKYY and Cinzano helped Italian
drinks group Davide Campari increase its sales in the first half of
2003 even after the negative effect of currency translation.
Interbrew is set to become the third largest brewer in China with
the acquisition of a 50 per cent stake in Malaysia's Lion group.
The Belgian group will now brew 21 million hl of beer in China each
year.
Every segment of the Brazilian soft drinks sector showed excellent
growth in 2002, with the young population, good weather and growing
health awareness helping to maintain the annual double digit
increase.
Danone and Suntory are to combine their US home and office delivery
bottled water businesses, a move which will make them the leading
global players and which lays down a challenge to European rival
Nestlé.
Diageo has come a long way, he strength of the group's brand
portfolio allows it to register overall growth despite some
substantial setbacks for brands such as Captain Morgan, Smirnoff
and J&B.
Allied Domecq has targeted Peter Lehmann Wines as a potential
acquisition in Australia. A pity, then, that the company has just
accepted a takeover offer from Swiss group Hess.
Ambitious Israeli soy ingredients company Solbar Industries keeps
the new products rolling out with the launch this week of Solpro
900, a soy protein isolate for infant formula, nutritional foods
and beverages, as its investment programme...
Despite a slight drop in sales packaging giant Rexam has announced
that H1 pretax profits have risen significantly. Profits jumped to
£71 million compared with a loss of £169 million for the same
period last year.
The global reach of Nestlé means that it is particularly
susceptible to currency effects, and first half sales at the
confectionery-to-mineral water group were down 6.3 per cent as a
result.
The two Champagne businesses owned by Martin, the French group
which has been run by the administrators since the spring, have
been sold to Vranken and Moët & Chandon for a combined €50m.
Grundfos has reported that for the first six months of 2003 it
achieved a pre-tax profit of DK374 million (€50.3m) - an increase
of DK162 million compared with the same period last year.
Strong volume growth helped by bottled water acquisitions and
double-digit increases in EBITDA and net profits helped by tough
cost control marked the first half at Coca-Cola HBC.
Russian dairy products group Wimm-Bill-Dann continues to go from
strength to strength, with first half volume sales boosted
considerably by its fruit juice and bottled water operations.
Carlsberg's first half sales were down 7 per cent compared to the
previous year, mainly as a result of the impact of exchange rates
at its fast-growing subsidiary Baltic Beverages Holding.
Continuing uncertainty and senior management turmoil at cranberry
supplier Ocean Spray has led Moody's to downgrade the firm's
short-term and preferred stock ratings.
Danone's move into the high profit home and office delivery sector
of the bottled water market made little impact on first half
results which were instead reduced by negative exchange rates and
disposals.
Cadbury's rapid expansion over the last few years has boosted sales
in the first half of the year, but the increasing cost of
restructuring its business took a hefty toll on profits.
Agribusiness giant ADM will dissolve a joint venture with US corn
sweetener company after the two companies stuck an agreement under
the auspices of a federal judge, reports the Washington
Post.
French acacia gum supplier Colloïdes Naturels International (CNI)
continues to drive its quality management spirit with the news this
week that it is now certified ISO 9001 (Version 2000).
CCHBC, the Greek-based Coca-Cola bottler, has continued its rapid
expansion into the bottled water sector with the purchase of
Austria's Romerquelle group for an undisclosed sum.
Feldschlösschen, the Swiss unit of Denmark's Carlsberg group, is to
sell its soft drink unit to compatriot juice and cider maker
Thurella in order to focus on its core beer and mineral operations.
Soufflet has bought the Ukrainian maltings Slavuta from brewing
group Baltic Beverages Holding, strengthening its position as the
leading supplier of the European brewing industry.
Cargill Citro Pure has formed a supplier agreement with the Florida
Grapefruit Marketing Association (FGMA) and Indian River Grapefruit
Marketers (IRGM).
Pechiney has announced that Pechiney Capsules, its subsidiary
specialising in closures and overcapping for wine, champagne,
liquors and spirits, has acquired the Chilean company Enocap.
Tough trading conditions and the impact of several significant
acquisitions continue to take their toll on results at UK-based
confectionery and beverage group Cadbury Schweppes.